The Incurable
by Wenn Harmon
Summary: Chiron is the son of Sallie Cartwright. This is a next gen to my story "Don't Touch the Wolfsbane"   Yet when a new D.A.D.A. professor comes to Hogwarts, well, secrets that should have stayed hidden are revealed.  Review, please?
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: Not meaning to bash bad information, but according to the lunar cycle of 1993, Remus Lupin would not have been present on the first day of school, September 1__st__. That was the full moon. But I will follow canon story lines and just pass it over. Thank you and enjoy!_

_Side Note: All original characters__ and places are mine. Please don't steal them._

Ch. 1 –Background Check, Please.

I guess you'd say I'm not average. Even in the wizarding world I'm not considered average. I grew up in Cambry, TN, a small mountain town with a girls' witches school and a boys' warlock academy. My mother is the instructor of Potions at the girls' school, Levton Academy. My little sister, Daphne Dodson, was born a few years after me, after Mom had decided to marry Charlie Dodson. She ended up divorcing a few years later. Probably because of her obsession with curing Lycanthropy. She was proud when I received my Hogwarts' letter four years ago. Even prouder when I was sorted into her house. Daphne followed two years after I did. She was sorted into Ravenclaw.

However, I never had a problem until fourth year. Which was the same year that Sirius Black escaped out of Azkaban. The same year that _he_ came to the school, and _she _came to live with us.

"—Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher," Dumbledore said at the sorting feast. There was a small applause, mainly from the group of the "golden trio" as Taeryn likes to call them down the table from where he and I were sitting.

Taeryn leaned over the table and whispered to me.

"Look at him. Looks like he's going to kill over any moment now."

I stifled a small smile and a chuckle, giving the new professor a glance as he sat back down. He looked tired and sick, regardless of the smile he was giving the hall. _So that's him?_ I thought, remember the summer. Everyone knew the job was jinxed. Why it was, was anyone's guess. Snape was eyeing him dangerously, but that was how Snape was. Dumbledore continued talking about Hagrid being the new Care of Magical Creatures teacher and then called the feast.

"Yeah, and look at Snape," I said, once the food appeared before us. I filled my plate up with all sorts of meat. "He looks like he wants to murder someone."

"When does Snape _not_ want to murder someone?" Alicia Spinnet asked, taking a gulp of her pumpkin juice.

Taeryn laughed.

"But he looks devilish now."

Alicia rolled her eyes but smiled.

"You two aren't going to be giving him hell this year, right?" she asked, nudging Taeryn in the shoulder.

Taeryn grinned, flashing his white teeth.

"Of course not," he said with sarcasm. "When do we never give him hell?"

"You boys… I swear…"

"What d'you swear, Ali?" I asked, folding my hands together and leaning on the table. "That you think one day we'll get expelled? Potter and Weasley will be expelled long before Taeryn and I will. Hell, Fred and George will get expelled faster."

"You know what, Chiron?" Alicia asked, mocking my pose and staring me down. "I think sometimes you're jealous of them because they get away with so much."

I rolled my eyes, leaning back and crossing my arms.

"Piss off, Ali. I wouldn't wish that on me at all. Load of cock and bull, if you ask me."

"Chiron, don't take things too personally," Taeryn joked, leaning over and hitting my shoulder. He looked over at Alicia. "And you, missy, need to hold your tongue. Chiron and I get away with just as much shit as those blokes do."

She looked at him angrily.

"Really? What kind of trouble have you been causing?"

I chuckled.

"I wouldn't really call it that… Just sneaking out of the castle, going to Hogsmeade, that sort of thing."

"You two have been sneaking out?" she whispered, dropping her voice so low we could barely hear her over the noise of the hall. "I hope you stop it with these dementors all hovering around the place."

Taeryn flashed his grin again.

"And who's going to stop us?" he asked her, giving her a look.

I laughed as she just sat there and stared, shaking her head.

"Why am I talking to you about this?"

Taeryn shrugged and began shovelling food.

"Who knows?" I asked, cutting up a piece of steak and eating it.

She only rolled her eyes.

The next morning I woke up a bit earlier than the other guys in the dormitory. I took a shower and dressed, grabbed my bag and headed down to breakfast. When I got down there, Professor McGonagall handed me my schedule. I groaned when I looked at it.

"Potions with Slytherin? After breakfast?"

McGonagall made a tut noise under her breath.

"Mr. Cartwright, you complain every year."

I heaved a sigh as she walked off. I sat down at the table and grabbed some eggs and bacon and looked over my schedule more thoroughly.

_Not too bad_, I thought to myself. I had Potions after breakfast (which clearly I was not excited about), Defence Against the Dark Arts with Ravenclaws, Muggle Studies, then I had Divination (Taeryn and I signed up for it last term as a joke), and Care of the Magical Creatures (with Hagrid) after that. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, however, I had Transfiguration, Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Herbology, and Charms. No free periods for me.

The Great Hall filled up with students, and everyone was getting their schedules as they sat down. Taeryn and I examined each other's. When I had Ancient Runes and Arithmancy he had some other strange class and a free period. Laughing at my misery, the bell signalled for us to go to class.

Potions with Professor Snape was always a disaster for me. I think he expected me to be as good as my mother is, which is not the case. My little sister is the one that got Mom's knack for Potions. So, Snape loved to give me and Taeryn detention. It was always so much fun.

Taeryn and I sat together in the back of the dungeon as usual. I got my book out knowing all too well that Snape will have us start working on stuff today. Everyone else started chattering, but stopped once Snape shut the door.

"Welcome to another term," he greeted us coldly, swishing his cloak to turn and face us. His greasy hair was hanging in his gaunt face as usual. Jameson Blue, a Slytherin that always sat in the front, raised his hand. Taeryn rolled his eyes, and I snickered quietly. Blue always asked stupid questions.

"Yes, Mr. Blue?" Snape inquired, knowing this question from one of his own House was going to be dumb.

"Are we going to be working on anything today, Professor?" Blue asked, getting a small laugh from the class.

"Yes, Mr. Blue," Snape sneered. He turned around and picked something up from his desk, a plant with dark, spiny leaves and yellow blossoms on it. He looked in my general direction. I drained my face of emotion.

"Cartwright, could you tell me what this plant is?" he asked me.

I swallowed, quickly trying to examine the plant. Mom had some growing in the house.

"Wolfsbane, Professor," I answered as coldly as he asked.

His eyes narrowed.

"This plant is highly poisonous. Can anyone tell me why?"

I leaned to Taeryn.

"I can," I whispered to him.

He chuckled softly.

"Cartwright, ten points for talking when not asked to," Snape growled.

Some of the students turned and looked. Alicia made a face at me. She was on the Quidditch team, so every point that was lost effects everything. She hates it when we lose points. But she should understand by now that it's Snape and he likes to dock points.

I didn't say anything for the rest of the class. He lectured on the Wolfsbane plant and all of its lethalness. As the rest of the class took notes I stared at my composition book, my mind at home….

…. Mom was preparing something for lunch when there was a knock on the door. Daphne got up off the sofa to answer it. She talked for about a minute before calling for Mom, and then she came back into the living room and slumped on the sofa.

"Who is it?" I asked her, changing the channel on the television, but keeping my voice down.

Daphne shrugged her shoulders.

"Dunno. Some girl in Mom's class I guess. Said she needed to ask 'Ms. Cartwright' for something."

She flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder and made a face.

I raised an eyebrow at her.

"What's your problem?" I asked.

She shrugged again.

Huffing at my sister's lack of responding, I left her the remote and walked into the hallway. Mom was standing there, talking quietly to a girl about my age. The girl looked at me. She had dark red hair that fell down some ways passed her shoulders, ending in a slight curl. She had a dusting of freckles across her nose. Her eyes were bright hazel.

"Hallo," she said to me, her English accent thick, "my name is Jessica Greene. Jess or Jessi is fine." She gave me a nervous smile.

"Jess is a student of mine from Levton," Mom explained. She had a solemn look about her face and she was clutching an envelope in her hand. She looked at me and then back to Jess. "She's from England, one of the few that didn't go to Hogwarts. But instead were accepted to Levton."

I nodded as if I cared. Yet, when I realized I was just staring at Jess, I quickly looked away and clenched my jaw. I glanced down and saw a few suitcases.

"Are you going to be living here?" I asked, my voice stoic.

"Chiron, would you take the suitcases up to the spare bedroom?" Mom asked, walking somewhat passed me. "I'm going to finish lunch. It should be ready in a few." And she left me and her in the hallway.

"My godfather doesn't want me to be in England right now…. Said it was _unsafe_," she commented as we took her things upstairs. Her voice was dry. "I figured it's about Sirius Black. You did hear about him, didn't you? They said he escaped out of Azkaban, which is said to be impossible. My godfather was livid about it all. And then he got asked to teach at Hogwarts this term, apparently a class that is jinxed. Or at least, he said it was jinxed. Said that every term there was a new one…."

I nodded, opening the door to the spare room and placing her things inside.

"Yeah, Defence Against the Dark Arts," I said quietly thinking about how much she talks and how plain it was. Reminded me of Hermione Granger at school, who I do enjoy talking to from time to time in the library. And if she didn't have buck teeth she would be quite pretty….

"Oh, yeah, Ms. Cartwright did mention that you and your sister attend Hogwarts. What House are you in?"

"Gryffindor," I said.

"And your sister?"

"Ravenclaw."

She nodded as if she understood. She took one of her suitcases and set it on the bed. She turned to look at me.

"Thank you," she said quietly, "for your hospitality."

I laughed.

"No need to thank me."

She gave a small laugh.

"I'll let you unpack. Mom should almost be done with lunch…"

She nodded. As I walked out of the room, I heard a sniff and silent tears. I don't think she knew that I could hear her crying the whole way down the stairs….

…. "Hey, Chi… Chiron!"

And then I was back in the dungeon, the class all packing their things for the next class. I glanced over at Taeryn.

"I fell asleep, didn't I?"

Taeryn shrugged, putting his book into his bag.

"Not really. More like lost in thought."

"What are we going to do with her, Chiron?" came Alicia's voice above me. I chose not to look at her, but instead put my things away.

I shrugged.

"Lock me up and call me crazy, I guess."

Alicia laughed.

"Easy for you to say."

I rolled my eyes.

We left the dungeon and went up to the Defence Against the Dark Arts room and took out seats. We had it with the Ravenclaws, so for once, it will be quiet and orderly. Then again, anything will be better than last year with Gilderoy Lockhart. That man didn't know a thing.

I took out my book for this class and set it on the desk with my wand on top of it.

The rest of the class waited anxiously for Professor Lupin to arrive. He came in through the door and walked up to the front of the room. His robes were in the worst for wear. Some of the girls behind me whispered to each other, talking about how his hair is greying and how old he looks and wishing that Lockhart was back. I had to stifle a laugh. Lockhart was a joke.

Professor Lupin had a small smile on his face as he dug into his briefcase and took out a roll of parchment.

"So, to start things off, I will do a quick roll call of everyone, just so I can place a name to a face.

"When I call your name, would you please raise your hand so I know where you are."

He called out the names of the few that were ahead of me in the alphabet, stopping at my name.

"Cartwright?" he asked himself, almost so quietly that no one would have possibly have heard him if they didn't have super-hearing. "Cartwright, Chiron?"

I raised my hand half-way, my eyes not wanting to make contact with him. I looked down at my book, clenching my jaw as if I was being punished. I looked up, still with my head down, and saw he was looking at me with that small smile. He nodded and continued with roll.

The class was relatively boring. We took notes as he talked about various curses that are potentially deadly. At least we learned something.

After the bell signalled, I followed Taeryn to the door.

"Chiron?" came Professor Lupin's voice from behind me.

I turned around and saw he had walked over to me.

"May I ask you a question?" he asked.

"Sure," I said, giving him a small shrug.

I followed him to his desk. He put some papers back into his brief case and closed it. For some reason, I was getting an awkward feeling about something.

"This may seem a bit too personal, so forgive me," he sighed. "Are you perchance related to a Sallie Cartwright?"

I let out a laugh.

"Yeah. That would be my mom." Right, I thought, this was awkward.

He gave a slight nod. He looked at me, but instinct told me to look down.

"Does Professor Snape give you a hard time about it?" There was a joke in there, somewhere.

"Yeah, he does. Doesn't like her, so in turn, he doesn't like my sister and I, even though Daph is good in Potions…. I didn't pick up the talent, though." I scrunched my nose. For some reason I didn't like being here. He smelled… different…

He must have seen the look on may face because he said, "Well you get on to your next class."

I nodded and left the classroom. I couldn't get the smell out of my nose. I had never smelt another one before…

Taeryn and Alicia were waiting for me outside.

"What did he ask you?" Alicia asked as we walked on up the stairs to the North Tower.

"Asked if my mom was who he thought she was…."

"Oooh…"

We didn't talk as we got up to the tower. We took our seats in Trelawney's cramped, heavily perfumed classroom, took out our Divination books and began to wonder who was going to die this year.

Care of the Magical Creatures was cancelled for the afternoon. There was a mishap with the class before ours (the third years) pertaining to a Hippogriff attacking Draco Malfoy. Taeryn and I laughed when we heard about who it was later in the common room. Katie Bell and Alicia gave us awful looks. But Fred and George Weasley were having a ball with it.

So, needless to say, that class dragged on when we met again the following week. Hagrid got into trouble, so we were taking care flobberworms as well as the third years.

By the end of September the routine was set. Class, homework, eat, sleep. Not necessarily in that order, of course.

I woke up on Friday to a splitting migraine. Alicia and Taeryn noticed how pale I was at breakfast.

"Are you not going to eat?" Alicia asked, staring at my plate of untouched food.

I sighed heavily.

"I'm not hungry."

"Well, mate, you do look dreadful…." Taeryn pointed out, drinking some pumpkin juice. "Maybe you should go to the infirmary…."

"No," I protested. "I'm fine"—

"Fine?" Alicia stood up, grabbing me by my arm and lifting me up. "Chiron, you look like you're going to kill over any minute." She dragged me out of the Great Hall, Taeryn following closely behind.

We reached the infirmary. Alicia almost threw me on a bed and went to Madam Pomfrey's door, knocking on it a little too hard.

I let my head hang to the side as Taeryn sat down in the chair next to the bed. My head was throbbing, and my arms began to hurt.

"I probably have a head flu," I told him, quietly as Madam Pomfrey strolled over with her array of gadgets.

"Ah, let's see here…"

She began to check my vitals. I was definitely running a high temperature.

"Ok, you two," Madam Pomfrey growled at Taeryn and Alicia. "Out. He needs rest. A fever like that means he's contagious."

Taeryn and Alicia left after telling me to get better.

The next few hours, Madam Pomfrey kept coming to check on me as I laid there in the bed, keeping my eyes shut because the light hurt my head. As the day wore on and I laid there, my body ached and ached even more.

Until it clicked.

I bolted upright.

"Madam Pomfrey!"

She came running out of her office, I guess expecting me to have been sprouting tentacles or something. When she saw that I was ok, she calmed her pace.

"Yes?"

"What's today's date?"

"The 30th," she answered narrowing her eyes at me. "Don't you think about leaving that bed, mister."

I looked away from her gaze and looked at the clock. It was only four in the afternoon.

Madam Pomfrey stared at me.

"Why did you want to know the date?" she asked quietly, moving to come and sit next to the bed.

I shook my head.

"No reason," I lied.

She raised her eyebrows.

"I can tell a lie when I hear one, Mr. Cartwright. Now, why?"

I laid back down and turned my head away from her. I could tell her. She wouldn't tell anyone, except maybe Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall, since they had the right to know. I had managed to keep it under control since I was nine. It was only during the summers when I was home that I let it go.

Yet when I was to tell her, the pain started again. This time in my back. I curled up in a ball, hugging my knees. I covered my self with the blanket. The pain had never been this bad before. My head throbbed. I was starting to wish I could curl up in the dormitory and close the curtains on my bed and just lie in the dark….

I opened my eyes with a start, screaming in excruciating pain. Not here, not now…. I was being wrestled to hold still, but instinct fought back. The smells of the people nearby were so much. I recognized Madam Pomfrey, Professor McGonagall's perfume, and Professor Dumbledore. Madam Pomfrey was wrestling me down, as I could hear Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore talking.

"Albus, d'you think that he may have done something?"

"No, I do not believe it was him. This may have been something we didn't know about."

"I just don't understand how we had never noticed before…."

Madam Pomfrey had finally gotten me stable enough to shove something in my mouth. I swallowed, not knowing what it was, but was instantly relaxed. I laid there, still feeling my head spin. I was trying to use every bit of my essence to control myself.

"Chiron," Dumbledore said quietly and distantly.

I looked up at him, seeing him in a blur. It was hard to keep focused. Whatever it was that Madam Pomfrey shoved down my throat, it was working.

I must have looked distant because Dumbledore nodded over at Professor McGonagall. She left the room. Madam Pomfrey sighed.

"Mr. Cartwright, how come you never mentioned this before?" she asked, standing at the foot of the bed.

"I… don't usually have problems with it…. I can generally control it…."

"Do you keep your mind?" Dumbledore asked.

I turned my head to look at him and gave him a sad look.

"Sometimes. Sometimes my… mom has to lock me in the shed out in our back yard…."

He stood there looking at me with those piercing blue eyes for several minutes. Madam Pomfrey had left to go to her office.

Eventually Professor McGonagall came back to my beside. With Snape.

Snape stared at me, his brow furrowed, as if trying to make sense of what was going on.

"Severus, do you have some of that potion left?" Dumbledore asked, his face still solemn.

Snape gave a slight nod.

"Yes, Headmaster. I do." He glared at me. I rolled my eyes and looked up at the ceiling.

"I think Mr. Cartwright needs a goblet before sundown."

Snape left to go to the dungeons, his cloak billowing behind him.

Professor McGonagall looked at Dumbledore but didn't say anything to him.

As Professor Snape came back with a goblet of some smoking potion, did I start hoping that no one in the school would know what I was. I drank the potion, making a disgusted face as it went down my throat. Wolfsbane. Mom had made it for me over the summer, since that's when I'm ok to change.

I just wish it wasn't at school. I wondered, as I lay there in a isolated room of the hospital wing, alone, how and if I could tell Taeryn. Or Alicia. I scratched behind my ear and then curled up. It was going to be a long night….

_I hope you liked this one. I've been meaning to write him for years, but had never gotten around to doing so. I wanted to break this into two parts, but it didn't happen. Figured one chunk was enough. If you want to know any back-ground stuff, feel free to send me a PM. :D _


	2. Chapter 2

Ch. 2: Letters and Other Useless Topics

The next day I was to stay in the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey insisted on it. When I finally was able to leave, I went straight up to the dormitory and flopped on my bed, my head still aching.

The night in the hospital wing wasn't so bad. Madam Pomfrey commented that it was a miracle that only with one goblet of the Wolfsbane I could keep my mind. She had never seen that before. I had to ask her the next day when I was lying there in the bed if she had ever come across another werewolf before, and she nodded, her expression quite sombre.

"He was bitten when he was young," she told me. "It was fortunate for him that Professor Dumbledore was Headmaster when he started, or else he wouldn't have been accepted."

I turned and looked out the window, seeing the lake. There was a small groups of black all over, enjoying the last bits of warmth that will be around before mid-October.

The door to the dormitory crashed open as Taeryn and Benjamin Anderson came bouncing in the room.

"Snape was pissed that you weren't in class yesterday," Ben commented, going over to sit on his own bed and looking at me as Taeryn walked on in.

"That, and there's an essay we have to write since Snape taught the class."

I sat up slowly and looked at them both.

"We didn't have Potions yesterday…."

Ben and Taeryn glanced at each other before looking back at me.

"He taught Defence Against the Dark Arts," Taeryn went on to explain. "Gave us a long lecture, too."

"Where was Lupin?"

"Sick, apparently." Ben shrugged. "I'm not gunna do it until Lupin comes back, though."

"Why? What was the assignment?"

Taeryn let out a laugh as Ben grinned.

"A three roll essay on the history and mythology of werewolves," Ben said, rolling his eyes. "You'd think Snape thought Lupin was a werewolf or something."

I snorted.

"Seriously? Three rolls?"

Taeryn nodded.

"And to top it all off, we covered werewolves two years ago with Quirrell, remember? Not like Snape cared when Chang mentioned it. But yeah, he was _furious_ that you weren't there though."

I laid back down and huffed.

"Snape knew I was sick. He came up to the hospital wing."

"Really?" Ben asked.

"Didn't act like it in class…."

I stared at the canopy, mulling it over. Furious, I got up quickly out of my bed and got dressed.

"Where're you going?" Taeryn asked. "Aren't you still sick?"

"I'm going to talk to Snape." And I left the dormitory.

On my way down to the marble staircase to the first floor to get to the dungeons, a hand grabbed my sleeve pulling me to the side. I angrily glared at my sister as she drug me out to the courtyard and forced me to sit on a bench.

"What the bloody hell was that about, Daph?" I asked, angry.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a letter and handed it to me.

"It's from Suzi, I think. Probably writing on Mum's behalf because you're not writing."

I opened the envelop, and indeed it was from Suzi.

_Dear Chiron,_

_Well, your mother is making me write to you in detention because you haven't written to her in a few weeks. She wants to know how you're doing and all that fun stuff. (She just hit me in the back of the head with a book again… Your mum is abusive. I'm surprised you're somewhat normal.) Anyway, how's school? Life? You know I'm still pis — _angry _— that I'm not at Hogwarts. You can't understand what Jess is feeling… You do know she'll be staying with your mum for Christmas, right? She's very unhappy about it. Poor girl. I may show up, too, depending if Mum kicks me out like she's been threatening. I hope that you are lovely and well and that the full moon isn't giving you too much hell! Jess says hi. She's here in detention with me. Your mum says that she loves you, don't know why. (And she hits me again.) Have fun! Don't forget to write! ~Suzi B._

I chuckled softly.

"You should write to Mum more often, Chi," Daphne commented.

I shrugged.

"It's not a matter of writing as it is there's nothing to really say."

She huffed.

"There's always something to say. Like, you could tell her that Snape hasn't given you detention yet."

"Yet. I hear that he will when I go to Potions next."

"Why? He has no reason to."

"He taught Defence Against the Dark Arts yesterday, I was told…"

She looked at me quizzically.

"Told? You didn't go to class?"

"No," I sighed, feeling a weight drop in my stomach.

"No? How come, Chi? What happened?"

"I was sick," I lied. She, however, was unconvinced.

"Sick?" She leaned closer to me and dropped her voice. Some students walked passed us, but paid us no attention, though she watched them until they were gone. "Chiron, I know the other night was the full moon."

I sighed again, putting my hands through my hair.

"I couldn't control it," I whispered back, a lump in my throat. "It just happened."

She thought quickly before standing up.

"I'll go see if I can't find anything in the library on it. If I have to, I'll find some way to get permission to get into the Restricted Section. Lie low, Chiron. Word spreads like wild fire here, you know."

I nodded as she turned on her heel and quickly walked away.

When Lupin came back, the class complained. He told everyone that they did not have to do the essay, since we had already covered werewolves two years ago. Katie Bell sighed as she tucked away her parchment rolls, giving a sad look to Alicia. He did say that if anyone did in fact do the essay, he'll give extra credit. Taeryn swore under his breath.

After class, I packed my things and was about to leave when a hand touched my shoulder. I looked up and saw that it was Lupin.

"Professor Snape did tell me you weren't in class the other day," he said quietly, watching some students leave before looking back at me.

"I was sick," I said, hitching my bag over my shoulder. "I still haven't talked to him about it. Apparently he was angry that I was out."

Lupin nodded, his tired face sad.

"I'll talk to him first before you do anything rash." He gave me a tired smile. "Just make sure, next time, you get an excuse slip from Madam Pomfrey."

I fought the urge to challenge him on this simple request. Instead however I opened my big mouth.

"Professor Snape already knew I was up there. He came up."

Lupin furrowed his eyebrows.

"Taeryn and Ben were making it seem like he didn't know I was out…"

"That's how it was told to me, too. I'll talk to Professor Snape. Do you have a class after this one?"

I shook my head as he nodded.

"Well, would you like to come with me?"

I sighed as he lead the way out of the room. I gave Alicia a look as I followed Lupin to the dungeons.

Snape had just gotten finished teaching a class and was heading to his own office when we approached him. His eyes quickly darted from Lupin to me, as if he saw something I didn't.

"Yes, Lupin?" he asked, coldly.

"I was just informed that you actually had knowledge of Mr. Cartwright's illness the other day when he wasn't in class."

Snape flared his nostrils as he glared at Lupin.

"I don't think a _headache_ should be classified as a reason to miss class."

I clenched my jaw.

"You know full well, _Professor_, that I was sick," I growled, challenging him.

His direction turned to me. I stared him in the eye. I could feel my blood begin to rise as the tension grew thick.

It seemed Lupin could feel the sparks in the air too.

"Severus, I will deal with the disciplinary actions accordingly," he said quietly.

Snape huffed.

"Of course you will, _Lupin._"

Lupin escorted me out of Snape's office. My hands were trembling as I had been fighting the urge to punch Snape. Lupin seemed to have gotten the gist, too. Once we were out of the dungeons, he turned to face me.

"Chiron, just make sure you get an excuse slip from Madam Pomfrey. And before you begin to protest," he added as I opened my mouth to do so, "I do believe that you were sick. Just try not to let it happen again, alright?"

I nodded slowly, looking at the floor. He patted my shoulder and left me standing in the entrance hall. I wasn't feeling any sort of relief. Actually, I was starting to resent Lupin's sincerity and calmness. Maybe it was bothering me that he didn't even ask me what was actually wrong with me, but I wouldn't have told him anyway.

I went into the library, hoping that maybe I could finish that God-forsaken essay for history of magic about the becoming of vampires and their revolts in society in the 1800s. Not something I was looking forward to. Or I could write back to Suzi finally.

I found Hermione Granger sitting at a table with books in front of her, her hair looking bushier than usual. She was a year below me, and always had her nose in a book. This was really the first time I had seen her all term sitting.

I approached her table.

"D'you mind?" I asked quietly, pointing to a spot opposite and some ways from her.

She nearly jumped at the sound of my voice. She looked up at me, with a look of trying to figure out what was going on. Once she recognized me, she nodded with an exasperated sigh.

I took a seat and took out some parchment, my quill and ink, and my history book. Such a useless subject, I thought as I dipped my quill into the ink and wrote my name on the parchment. I began writing what I could remember before I needed to look things up.

"History?" Hermione asked.

I nodded, not looking at her, as I wrote about the vampires.

"You don't look too excited about it," she observed.

I looked over at her and rolled my eyes.

"Thrilled."

She smiled slightly, hiding the fact that she had rather large front teeth.

"And you?"

"Ancient Runes," she said, holding her parchment up and giving it a once over. "Next I'm going to have to work on Arithmancy."

Two subjects I understand, I thought as I smiled and nodded at her.

We didn't talk much more after that. Hermione wasn't really one to talk too many people when she was in her study-bubble. I caught myself looking over at her every now and then however. She started her Arithmancy work, one hand in her hair. I began wondering how many classes she was taking, but didn't bother to ask. Fed up with vampires, I pulled out a smaller piece of parchment and began writing back to Suzi.

_Hey, Suzi._

_Things are alright here. No very exciting. Homework is a bore. Life is alright. I'm sitting in the library attempting to write an essay. And the moon isn't giving me too much hell. Just the usual. Haven't had detention yet, but, unlike you, I try to stay out of trouble. Snape's tried to give me detention (he's the potion's teacher here). We have a new teacher who's too nice. He knows his stuff, though. I'm waiting for the day when Taeryn will pull a prank on him. Daph seems to like him. Hope Mum didn't beat you too hard. Or maybe you need it. Tell her I said hi and sorry for not writing. There just isn't much to write about. I'll write to her when something interesting happens here._

_Chiron_

Reading over it once more, I folded it up and put it in my bag. I heard Hermione giggle under her breath. I looked up at her, giving her a look.

"That didn't look like an essay to me," she said in her all-knowing voice.

I chuckled.

"Just a letter. Mum was upset that I hadn't written, so she made a friend in detention write to me."

"Is your mother a teacher?"

I nodded, bringing my essay back in front of me and staring at it.

"Potions, actually. In the States."

I looked over at her to find her studying my face.

"What?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. I didn't particularly care for people staring at me, especially since I had fresh scratch marks on one side of my face. I had a horrible feeling she was staring at the cuts.

"How did you get those scratch marks?" she asked quietly.

"Daphne's cat," I lied, looking away. I picked up my history book and opened to the chapter on vampires, hoping that maybe she would get the hint that I really didn't want to talk about it.

Thankfully, she got the hint and didn't say anything to me until the bell rang for lunch. She packed her things away, said bye to me, and left the library quickly. Knowing what I did know of Hermione, she'll find some way to figure it all out. I couldn't decide if that bothered me or if it impressed me.


	3. Chapter 3

Ch. 3: Werewolves

Two weeks later, the scratches had healed considerably, though they were still there. I caught Hermione giving me looks whenever I would see her anywhere. I would sigh when I would look because she would look away. Taeryn laughed at me whenever this would happen when he was around and taunt me about it. I would punch him and I even threatened to hex him a time or two.

I took refuge in the library when I had nothing better to do, only because it was quiet. I held a reply from Suzi, who seemed worried that all my sentences in my last letter were short and not descriptive enough. She always worried too much, that one. I remember when I first met her, when I was about eleven and she was about nine or ten. We met in Diagon Alley when our mother's crossed paths for the first time in almost ten years….

…. Daphne was holding Mum's hand as we walked from the Apothecary to go into Florish and Blott's to get my school books. There was this extremely blonde haired lady holding the hand of a equally blonde haired child, though you could see her dark roots beginning to show through. Mum had stopped to look in the lane, staring, like she knew the lady.

"Kat!" she exclaimed.

The lady turned around, her piercing blue eyes looking at Mum. Her expression softened when she recognized my mother. She walked over and hugged her.

"Sallie! I haven't seen you in forever," she said, letting go of Mum. Her accent wasn't English at all. "How're you? Are these yours?" She beamed down at my sister and I.

Mum nodded, looking at the little girl holding Kat's hand.

"And this one?" she asked with a smile.

"Yeah."

"Hi," the little girl said, looking up at Mum, extending a hand.

"Hallo," Mum said, holding out her free hand to shake the girl's hand. "What's your name?"

"Suzanne."

"Yeah, not much of my idea of a name. It was her father's idea. Wanted to keep his initials. Oh well, can't have everything." Kat shrugged, looking at Suzanne and then at Daphne and I. I stared at Suzanne, noticing that even her eyebrows were black. She kept looking up at her mum, almost annoyed.

"Chiron and Daphne," Mum said, before Kat could ask. "Out getting Chiron's things for school."

"Hogwarts?" she asked.

"Mhmm. Just about to get his books. I had forgotten how much stuff he was going to need."

Kat gave a small laugh. Even I, being only eleven, could feel the awkwardness rising.

"So, when will Suzanne here get her letter?" Mum asked as we moved out of the middle of the lane to the sidewalk.

"I think I'm going to send her to Levton, actually. I don't like the idea of her being at Hogwarts. She may get into too much trouble."

Mum nodded.

"I'm actually head of the potions' department there."

Kat's smile nearly freaked me out.

"Hey, Mum," I asked looking up at her, "could I just go ahead and go and get my books?"

She handed me the list and some money.

"Just don't get too many extra books," she joked.

"Suzi, do you wanna go with him?" Kat asked her daughter.

It almost seemed as if Suzanne was pleased to hear this. She nodded, looking at me. I shrugged as she and I left the adults and Daphne.

"I was starting to get so annoyed," Suzanne said when we finally walked into the bookstore. "She gets on my nerves most of the time. I'm surprised to actually see her smile."

I chuckled.

"Is she that bad?"

She stopped in front of me and tugged on her hair.

"You see this? This is her wanting me to be a perfect little clone of her. It's not natural."

"What colour is it?" I asked, looking at her roots. Why am I even talking about this with a girl?

"Black."

I nodded as I walked to the counter and handed the man my book list.

"So, how come she wants you to be her?" I asked as the man went to go and get my books.

She gave me a snarky grin.

"Because she doesn't want to be reminded of my dad. And, I've seen pictures. I'm pretty much the spitting image of him, which makes this all the better."

Even at eleven, I could tell this girl had a lot planned….

…. And even now as I sat in the library, reminiscing on that day, I could picture her in my head of what she looks like now. She's fixed her hair since then, back to it's natural black. Her reasoning: to make her mum angry. She had that glint in her blue eyes about how much she doesn't like her mum. She started to come over when Jess came to live with us.

They get into so much trouble together, I thought, remembering that they were in detention together. I never understood why Jess was sent to Levton instead of going to Hogwarts. She mentioned it to me once before that she was recommended for Levton instead of Hogwarts, but she never really went into too much detail about it. When I did asked her once she shrugged her shoulders and dismiss it completely.

_SLAM!_

I jumped as I looked over to find Daphne sitting there next to me, a big old book in front of her, which she must have slammed down on the table.

"What?" I asked, telling my heart to stop racing from being startled out of my thoughts.

She smiled.

"After much protesting, Professor Lupin gave me a slip to check in the Restricted Section."

Yup, I thought staring at her and the book. She really like the guy.

"And that's what you found?"

She winked as she opened the book and flipped through the pages until she stopped at a page that had a picture of a wood-carving of a wolf-man howling in front of the full moon.

"… '_werewolves date back to the earliest recordings of the magical and non-magical worlds,'_" she read quietly, using her finger to scan the tiny manuscript, " _'however, even though they generally do not mate, there have been reports and records of the occurrences of those claiming to have been only tainted by a parent. Half-werewolves are a myth since it is unknown how they can become one without being bitten.'_"

I rolled my eyes.

"Something interesting, please," I muttered.

She glared at me and continued to read.

"… '_Half-werewolves are an interesting breed in and of themselves. According to one "half-werewolf" in the year 1566 A.D., she stated that she couldn't control her transformations in the presence of "full" werewolf. The moon only had effects on her in this state. Unfortunately, for the writers of this book, there was evidence that she was actually an illegal Animagus that took the form of a wolf, only to scare the towns folk. But there is the small possibility that the blood of a werewolf can be passed down to its offspring. Some werewolves will not mate for this particular scare. Others try to mate to pass on their genes, only to be disappointed and either killing the offspring or the other mate involved.'_ And then there's this awful picture here of a werewolf eating its human child."

I furrowed my eyebrows as she shuddered, gazing at the picture.

"Well, we definitely know that none of that's true," I whispered, placing my elbow on the table and resting my head in my hand. "Because I definitely am."

She sighed.

"But you've always been able to control it." She place her finger on the sentence about the woman's claim. "I have a feeling that this lady wasn't lying."

"So, what are you thinking?"

"That there's a werewolf here, somewhere." She clicked her tongue as she read through the passage one more time. She sighed.

"Chi, let me know if you're going to have another episode or something," she said, concerned. "I'll see what I can do."

I looked at the bookshelf opposite from me, thinking.

"Snape had a Wolfsbane potion that he gave me last time," I thought out loud.

"Really?" she asked, scrunching her face as she thought. "So that means whoever it is, is here. Student or professor. Listen," she dropped her voice as she leaned towards me, "let me know if anything happens again, okay? Don't worry about who it is and just do your work. I'll figure it out. Maybe I could ask Lupin about werewolves, since he is the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher." She winked again.

"You really like him, don't you?" I half-heartedly joked.

She shrugged a shoulder.

"He's kinda cute."

I rolled my eyes as she stood up with the book and walked away. Just what I needed, my sister having a crush on a professor…. Well, at least she didn't like Lockhart.

Halloween marked the first Hogsmeade trip and the feast. After the feast, though, Taeryn and I walked back up to go to the common room, to find students all around the portrait, confusion on most of everyone's faces. Percy Weasley pushed his way through and then yelling for someone to get Professor Dumbledore. I stood on my toes to see what was the matter.

The Fat Lady's portrait was torn to shreds.

They sent us all down to the Great Hall that evening, everyone in the school. Sirius Black had apparently gotten into the castle, passing the Dementors, and, if I had heard correctly from the prefects and some of the professors as they whispered to each other, the Fat Lady wouldn't let him into the common room without the password, so he attacked her.

They called light's out, informing us we'll get detentions if anyone is awake and chatting. There were a few whispers, and I could hear Snape and Dumbledore talking about someone possibly helping Black into the castle. Sighing, I rolled over on my back and stared up at the ceiling of the Great Hall, which was reflecting the night sky. I thought about one of the conversations I had with Suzi when she came over on Jess's birthday when no one was home, brandishing a paper in my face, all excited.

"He's escaped!" she screamed for joy, hitting my face with the paper. I took it out of her hands as she squeeled, jumping up and down on the spot with joy. I looked at front page and saw a picture of a man, gaunt and dirty with a straight faraway look in his eyes staring up at me. I saw a little resemblance of the girl excited before me. I raised an eyebrow as Suzi stopped jumping in front of me, taking the paper back. Her smile faded as I frowned at her. She tucked her hair behind her ear and looked at the paper with sad eyes.

"I wonder if he knows…," she whispered.

I shrugged, not knowing really what to say on the matter.

"Mother wasn't too thrilled to see this," she added, a crazy smile appearing on her saddened face. "Actually, she was livid."

She seemed to be playing a memory in her head. I chuckled slightly, still keeping my mouth shut.

"What's your thought, Chiron?" she asked, setting the paper down on the coffee table and sitting down on the sofa. "Do _you_ think he murdered all those people?"

I shrugged.

"Sure. They had witnesses and everything…."

"Well, I'll tell you something that Mum told me." She leaned forward and interlaced her hands. "She said that the man he killed could actually turn into a rat."

"What're you saying?"

She leaned back and didn't have to try to look haughty.

"That the perpetrator could have been a sticky rat. I don't know why, but it's a possibility."

I walked around the coffee table and sat next to her, lowering my voice and grabbing the paper as I heard Mum, Daphne, and Jess walk into the kitchen.

"There were witnesses that saw… this man… murder at least twelve people."

She leaned closer to me, close enough I could have touched her nose with mine. She narrowed her eyes, picking her battle carefully with me.

"_I don't think he did it," _she whispered viciously. "I think he was set up."

I raised my eyebrow.

"And do you have any proof, Sherlock?"

She gave me a cocky grin and looked into the direction of the kitchen where noises of groceries being put away sounded.

"We could always ask your mother. She went to school with him."

I scratched my face as I gazed at her. Her expression was rather terrifying. But before I could protest in any sort of way, she jumped up and ran over to the foyer, hugging Jess tightly.

If Suzi ever asked Mum about Sirius Black, I never knew.

The next few weeks were tedious. Ran began to beat on the windows and thunder bellowed about. Daphne insisted that I kept her up-to-date with the moon cycle and to make sure I was as good as I needed to be.

After Charms one day, she pushed me into a broom cupboard, startling Alicia as Daphne shut the door, putting the two of us in the dark.

Angrily, I pulled out my wand and lit the small space. Daphne was furiously digging in her bag, pulling out a small nickel flask. She thrusted it into my left hand. I looked at it, puzzled.

"Drink it," she ordered in a whisper, even though if even Alicia were standing outside, she wouldn't have been able to hear anyway since it was time for class change.

"What is it?"

"Just drink it."

I raised my eyebrow as I opened the cap and sniffed the contents. Smoke wafted into my nose and was spilling over the sides of the flask. The familiar stink of Wolfsbane nearly made me gag. Pinching my nose, I swallowed all of it, wishing I could put sugar in it.

I handed the flask back to her and she tucked it into her bag.

"Now, don't tell anyone about this," she warned, slowly opening the door and peering out.

"Where did you get it?" I knew for a fact she did not brew it.

"Don't ask," she answered, opening the door even more and stepping out into the corridor. I followed, not taking my eye off of her.

"Where did you get it?" I asked again, this time more demanding.

She looked up at me, her hazel eyes (which resembled Mum's) full of secrets.

"If I'm caught, I'll get into trouble. Just accept it. I'll let you know tomorrow when I have some more."

She walked away before I could stop her to beat the truth out of her. The taste of the Wolfsbane still lingered in my mouth until supper that evening.


	4. Chapter 4

Ch. 4: A Strange Talk

Daphne met up with me in various spots in the school, giving me the flask and making sure I drank its contents. I stopped asking her where she got it, since she wasn't going to tell me anyhow. I was starting to get concerned for her, but thought better to not intervene. If she was getting away with it, she was getting away with it.

The night of the moon was not as dreadful as the last. I curled up in the private room in the hospital wing and slept quietly. Madame Pomfrey was astounded.

I missed the Quidditch match, though. I found out later from Alicia and Katie, who were filling me in on details.

"It was a mess!" Katie exclaimed, looking over at Alicia.

"Yeah. Dumbledore was pissed off, that's for sure. You should have seen Wood's face when Harry fell off his broom."

"Harry fell off? What happened?"

Alicia huffed as she put her hands on her hips.

"The dementors came into the stadium."

"They're not supposed to do that," Katie added. "I can't believe you were sick, though, Chi. But you probably would have hated getting all wet and stuff."

I swear these girls think I'm gay or something.

"Eh, it would have been fine… So, who won?"

"Hufflepuff. Diggory caught the Snitch just as Harry passed out. He wanted to call a rematch, but they won fair and square…."

"Even Oliver said it," Alicia muttered, looking downtrodden. "According to the Weasley twins he's still in the shower, drowning himself."

I nodded and watched as Hermione came into the common room, avoiding my eye.

"But Harry's broom got smashed to bits…." Katie went on to say, regardless if I heard or not.

"Really?" I asked, half-hearing her anyway.

"Really. Right into the Whomping Willow."

"Mhmm…"

"What?" Katie followed my gaze and saw I was watching Hermione unpack her bag onto two tables. "Oooooh…."

Alicia giggled.

"Looks like someone has a fancy," she whispered to Katie who giggled as well.

"Shut up," I muttered, leaving them to their giggle-fest. I went over to Hermione's table.

"Taking enough classes?" I asked, stupidly. I probably have asked her this before.

"No. I'm not." She looked up at me and bit her lower lip. "I… I have a lot to do, Chiron. I would not like to be bothered."

"Oh. Well. Alright."

I turned and walked away, avoiding going back to the girls. That was the first time she had ever blown me off like that. Shrugging it off, I went down to lunch.

The next few days were a complete bore. Even the next few weeks were boring until Christmas holiday came around because than I got to go home. Daphne and I boarded the train, she sat with Ginny Weasley and I went to sit with Taeryn, Alicia, and Katie in a compartment.

We arrived into King's Cross Station. I said my good-bye's and Happy Christmases to them and waited for Daphne to get off the train. Once she was by my side, we went in search of Mum.

At long last we found her, waving her arm in the air hailing us down. Daphne ran over to her whereas I just simply walked. Mum let go of Daphne as I approached. She gave me the stare down, a look I knew very well and tried to avoid at all costs.

"Why having you been writing, mister?" she asked, folding her arms, still giving me that hard look.

I shrugged.

"Nothing interesting going on."

She didn't believe me for on moment. Sighing heavily, she picked up Daphne's bag. We followed her out of the station and went home. (By Portkey, of course.)

The familiar smell of home filled my head as I went up to my bedroom and laid my trunk on the floor. I fell on my bed, exhausted from the trip, only to sit up again when I heard giggling from the next room. Getting up and checking it out, I found the door to the room that Jess had been staying in over the summer ajar. I peeked around to find two girls in there: the dark ginger on the bed and the black-haired one on the floor.

"Fancy seeing you here," I said, getting both of their attention.

Suzi turned around and jumped at the sight of me, running over and giving me a tight hug.

"It's been so long!" she cried, nuzzling into my shoulder. I gave Jess a look who shrugged in return.

"It was only August," I explained calmly, patting her head.

"I know!" She let go and observed me. "Did you get taller?" She tilted her head to the side in curiosity.

"Just a bit, probably."

She smiled.

"Well, it's good to see you. Your handwriting gets hard to read, sometimes, y'know?"

Jess rolled her eyes and adjusted her glasses.

"You're just dumb, Suze."

Suzi turned around and glared.

"Oh, shush, Jess. No one cares."

"You're right." She smiled. "No one cares."

Jess and I laughed as Suzi stormed over to Jess and messed her hair.

"There."

"You two are such idiots…," I muttered, turning around and leaving. Suzi protested at my back as I went downstairs, but I ignored her and walked into the kitchen.

"So," Mum started as she stood in front of the stove, a wooden spoon in her hand. "Why exactly have you not been writing? I had to make Suzi in detention write to you."

I shrugged as I opened the refrigerator, searching for something to eat.

"As I said, Mum, nothing interesting going on."

I shut the door and looked at her. Her hazel eyes glared at me. She could see through my lying.

"Tell me," she ordered, crossing her arms.

I took a deep breath and rolled my eyes, a hand absentmindedly going to my hair.

"I've been getting sick a lot," I said, giving her the half-truth.

"And that's what you've been telling your professors and your friends, right?"

I glared back.

"Has Daphne or Suzi told you?" I could feel my anger rising as she casually shrugged it off.

"No. I read between the lines, Chiron John. Now. What has been happening? And don't you dare lie to me, child," she warned, brandishing the spoon at me.

I balled my fists as I told her. She stood there and listened to me tell her what had been happening. I know I wasn't going to be able to hide it from her for very long. Either Daphne or Suzi would slip up and tell her.

Jess had awkwardly walked in at the moment I finished telling Mum that I think the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher was the werewolf. She stood there and stared at me.

"Really? I could have told you that…," she said quietly. Mum looked at her.

"D'you know his defence professor?"

Jess looked away from me and then at Mum, her expression fallen.

"Yeah, I do… I… haven't gotten any letters from him at all…. I figured he was too busy to write…." When Mum's look became more confused, her eyebrows raised, Jess added, "He's my godfather. He went to go teach there this year…."

"Lupin's your godfather? Really?" I asked, confounded.

"Lupin?" Mum asked in my direction more than anyone else's. We both looked at her. She seemed lost. After licking her lips and recomposing herself, she shooed us out of the kitchen since she likes to cook in peace.

Jess and I vacated to the living room, where we both sat on the sofa. Awkwardly, I turned to Jess. I had to know.

"Is he a werewolf?" I asked softly so Mum couldn't hear us in the kitchen.

She nodded slowly.

"I never thought it was important to tell you… I mean, I didn't think you would have problems. Your sister and Suzi told me you generally don't transform…."

"Generally, I can control it. Something I think most werewolves would be jealous about it if they ever knew. "

She nodded again, looking at her hands.

"Suzi and I got into it a few weeks ago, just so you know. I mean, we're fine now, obviously…," she said quietly, changing the subject.

"What am I a shrink or something now?" I asked, mostly to myself. She glared at me. "Okay, so what happen?"

"She began telling me about her dad and how she believes that he's innocent…. I had to tell her that he wasn't…."

"Did you tell her why?"

"No… I just told her that he was a murdering prat. She went off on me. Didn't talk to me for a week or two. We resolved to the point where we don't talk about it. Ever. I think she still may be mad at me."

"Well, of course. I'd be pissed off, too, if someone was telling me my father was a murderer and I had put him in high regards. Wouldn't you?"

She shrugged.

"Dunno. He killed my parents, so I don't know how I feel."

"He… killed your parents?"

She sighed and put her glasses back on. She looked at the fireplace, her eyes lost in memories.

"He was their Secret Keeper," she started, her eyes now downcast. "No one knew that he was a servant of Voldemort. And he told Voldemort and Voldemort killed them."

"How did you find all this out? Did Lupin tell you?"

"He was friends with them. It was the five of them, he said. Him, Mum, Dad, Sirius, and Peter Pettigrew." She swallowed.

"Didn't he kill Peter Pettigrew, too?"

"Yeah. His finger was found. That was it. Nothing else. And now Sirius Black is roaming free through the country. He's probably at Hogwarts…"

I looked away, biting my lip, wondering in all reality why she was telling me all of this.

"He tried to break into the common room on Halloween," I said after a moment's silence. "Scared the Fat Lady."

She looked at me finally, her hazel eyes wide.

"Was he caught?"

"No. He ran off before we got up there. We were at the feast…. He slashed her portrait to bits, though."

She didn't respond to that at all, only gave me a look. I sat quiet as well as she thought.

"What was he after?" she asked barely in a whisper. "I thought he was going to be after Harry."

"Potter? Why would Black be after Harry Potter?"

"Because he would be angry that he didn't get to kill him…. And that Harry stopped Voldemort." She looked lost as if this was all bringing back painful memories.

"So… how old were you when Voldemort killed them? It had to be before Potter stopped him, right?"

She shrugged.

"Technically. You know, I met him once. We were seven. Remus and I were on our way to the beach in the south and we stopped somewhere in Surrey so I could run around. Car rides were never my thing. We stopped at a small neighbourhood park. He was hiding behind some bushes. I found him. I didn't know who he was until I saw the scar." Her eyes narrowed. "And I asked him how he got it… You know what he told me?"

I shook my head, realizing it was a rhetorical question.

"He told me he got it in the car crash that killed them. I went along with it, until I got punched in the face by his cousin for talking to him." She stroked the scar that was on her lip. I had been wondering when she got that. "Twelve stitches."

"What did your godfather do?"

She shrugged.

"We went home. Asked me why a boy would punch me and that I shouldn't have been causing trouble. I cried, of course. I told him that I had been talking to Harry…."

"Was he mad at you? Or what?"

"We just didn't talk about it much afterwards. Every now and then I'd bring it up or something. Remus just didn't want to talk about it. I don't blame him. I sometimes wish he had never told me any of it. That I could have been kept in the dark."

I nodded, still not knowing what to really say. I also had no idea what she was getting at with all of this, but I thought better than to ask her anything. We sat in silence as Mum was humming in the kitchen, the smell of dinner wafting into the living room. Jess folded her arms across her chest and leaned back sighing heavily.

"I just don't know what to do," she confessed quietly.

I watched her. The sweater she was wearing brought out the red in her hair definitely. But I had a feeling, somewhere, that she was still hiding something.

"So, back to my original question," I started, rubbing the back of my neck. It was still hurting. "Black turning them over had to be before the time Potter stopped You-Know-Who, right?" It had just dawned on me then that she had been calling him Voldemort.

She looked up at the ceiling, still lost. After a solid seconds she finally answered.

"Yes."

As I opened my mouth to respond she continued:

"He doesn't know I even exist. Most people, I presume, think I'm dead or that I didn't exist to begin with." She gave me a sad look. "He's the reason why I'm not at Hogwarts."

I raised my eyebrow. There could be a lot of "he"s. I just had to assume who it was though. And it didn't make sense.

"How come Potter would be the reason why you're not at Hogwarts?" I had to ask, confused.

She shrugged shortly.

"Just is, I guess. I've been asking the same question for three years now. And Dumbledore's response when I was eleven didn't help any." The way she said Dumbledore's name stung a little. She said it with just that slight about of sarcasm and malice.

"What was that about then?" I pressed on, wondering if it was still safe territory.

"Didn't want me in the way," she grimaced, standing up finally. It was a signal that the conversation was over, I collected. She looked at me.

"Thanks for letting me talk to you," she said quietly. "It felt nice to talk about that with someone who will actually listen to me banter about."

I nodded.

"Anytime, Jess."

And with that, she left me alone in the living room. I heard her climbing the stairs and begin joking loudly with Suzi. That was probably a side of Jess I would only see, I thought, as I heard the two of them laughing. Suzi could never take things seriously.

I stood up and turned to face the door to the kitchen only to find Mum standing there, leaning against the doorframe, her face downcast and her arms crossed.

"I knew she looked familiar to me," she said sadly, a small smile going to her eyes.


End file.
